It can't get much hotter than it has been in the River Valley this summer. Swimming pools have come to the rescue for many children.

Going swimming accomplishes so many things for children. Not only are they kept out of the heat, it brings them together and gives a sense of belonging and community at various swimming pools and swimming areas. In the process, children are not bored and find something to do, which keeps them out of trouble.

Playing those fun water games in the swimming pool during the months of June, July and August can bring back so many childhood memories. Those carefree days when children are able to have fun and keep cool come once in a lifetime.

Right here in the River Valley, local establishments are giving children the same opportunities we had as kids. Families come out and enjoy the water and togetherness at places such as Hickey Pool and Lake Dardanelle State Park.

With the 2005-06 school year right around the corner, children and their families should be savoring every moment together at the swimming pools.

According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), on average, there are 400 heat-related deaths a year in the United States. The 1995 heat wave in the Midwest contributed to 716 heat-related deaths in the U.S. that year alone. The heat wave of 1980 was an especially hard one for Arkansas • 153 heat-related deaths.

Swimming pools will not solve these problems by themselves, and these frightening statistics will not turn around overnight, but children finding a place to keep cool and out of the heat is a positive step.

The elderly, people with health problems and very young children are the most vulnerable to being harmed by the heat, according to ADH.

The danger with very young children is they are less educated than adults and do not know how to take care of themselves to combat the heat. Sure, most kids have responsible parents who are able to assist their children. However, parents and children are not always together 24 hours a day.

Giving children a fun place to play where it is real easy for them to take care of themselves is a positive step in battling the heat. Swimming pools are an excellent solution to heat problems because children get in the water to have fun and do not even realize the health benefits.

Hopefully, the children who are swimming during the summers will pass this tradition on to their kids.